Vancouver couple accused of selling counterfeit air bags

A Vancouver couple accused of selling thousands of dollars worth of items stolen from retail stores may also be under investigation for selling counterfeit air bags.

Yveginey and Lyudmila Smirnov were arrested by police in late May after allegedly buying $750 worth of purportedly stolen items from an undercover investigator working for Safeway’s Organized Retail Crime Department in the Hazel Dell Walmart parking lot.

After the arrest, sheriff’s deputies searched the Smirnov’s home and found “numerous amounts of different merchandise,” including Crest White Strips, Rogaine and air fresheners, court documents say.

Deputies also recovered “hundreds” of air bags from their home while serving the search warrant, said Sgt. Fred Neiman, spokesman for the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.

The Oregonian on Thursday reported federal officials last month asked investigators for photos of the air bags from the Smirnov case.

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The Today File is a general news blog featuring real-time coverage of Seattle and the Northwest. It is reported by the news staff of The Seattle Times and includes stories from The Associated Press and McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.